In Rep. Thornberry's Op-Ed enumerating the lessons learned from past wars “that should help guide us in our complex, dangerous world,” his “final lesson” is of particular importance today.

Republicans have apparently felt so traumatized by eight years of the Obama Administration that they have been reluctant and, in some instances, have even outright refused to stand up to Trump, a man, who like the German authoritarian bully Thornberry referenced, is advancing his own current day Fascist agenda largely unhindered as well.

As the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, which has jurisdiction over ongoing military operations and defense policy, Representative Thornberry should be doing everything in his power to “prevent the next great war.”

Republicans must not turn a deaf ear or blind eye to our current despotic treasonous president who is attempting to undermine and dismantle NATO and, at the same time, continue to strengthen his alignment with America's enemies.

You are correct, Rep. Thornberry, when you stated, “We should not be so smug or so complacent to assume that we could never sleepwalk into another conflict whose toll will be heavy on our nation and on our world.”

We, your constituency, American citizens of every race, gender, ethnicity, and religion, are counting on you to wakefully and faithfully uphold the oath you affirmed as our United States Congressman to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic, bear true faith and allegiance to the same, so help you God.